Protective garment

ABSTRACT

A flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more layers of at least two different fabrics Further said garment is flexible and may be flexible, abrasion resistant, cut resistant, penetration resistant and water resistant. An inner fabric layer is penetration resistant and the innermost layer is a cushioning material. The invention also provides for a separate cuff that may be worn on the thigh or upper arm that is capable of holding small tools; the cuff may or may not be so constructed that it may attached to the flexible garment protecting the leg or arm. The cuff may also be penetration resistant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/912,213 filed Oct. 8, 2019 and incorporated by reference herewith in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to an article of clothing, personal protective equipment, specifically a garment and more specifically, a personal protective garment for an extremity of the human body, more specifically a protective garment for the human leg or optionally the human arm and most specifically a personal protective garment for the human leg wherein the garment provides resistance to abrasion, snagging, penetration and comprises at least two layers of synthetic fabric or textile that may be woven or non-woven.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. “Protective clothing” is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and “protective gear” applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. Thus, personal protective equipment is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter

The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering controls and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at the source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard if the equipment fails.

Any item of PPE imposes a barrier between the wearer/user and the working environment. This can create additional strains on the wearer; impair their ability to carry out their work and create significant levels of discomfort. Any of these can discourage wearers from using PPE correctly, therefore placing them at risk of injury, ill-health or, under extreme circumstances, death. Good ergonomic design can help to minimize these barriers and can therefore help to ensure safe and healthy working conditions through the correct use of PPE.

Practices of occupational safety and health can use hazard controls and interventions to mitigate workplace hazards, which pose a threat to the safety and quality of life of workers. The hierarchy of hazard controls provides a policy framework which ranks the types of hazard controls in terms of absolute risk reduction. At the top of the hierarchy are elimination and substitution, which remove the hazard entirely or replace the hazard with a safer alternative. If elimination or substitution measures cannot apply, engineering controls and administrative controls, which seek to design safer mechanisms and coach safer human behavior, are implemented. Personal protective equipment ranks last on the hierarchy of controls, as the workers are regularly exposed to the hazard, with a barrier of protection. The hierarchy of controls is important in acknowledging that, while personal protective equipment has tremendous utility, it is not the desired mechanism of control in terms of worker safety.

Personal protective equipment can be categorized by the area of the body protected, by the types of hazard, and by the type of garment or accessory. A single item, for example boots, may provide multiple forms of protection: a steel toe cap and steel insoles for protection of the feet from crushing or puncture injuries, impervious rubber and lining for protection from water and chemicals, high reflectivity and heat resistance for protection from radiant heat, and high electrical resistivity for protection from electric shock. The protective attributes of each piece of equipment must be compared with the hazards expected to be found in the workplace. More breathable types of personal protective equipment may not lead to more contamination but do result in greater user satisfaction

Respirators serve to protect the user from breathing in contaminants in the air, thus preserving the health of one's respiratory tract. In work environments, respirators are relied upon when adequate ventilation is not available or other engineering control systems are not feasible or inadequate. Occupational skin diseases such as contact dermatitis, skin cancers, and other skin injuries and infections are the second-most common type of occupational disease and can be very costly.^(6]) Skin hazards, which lead to occupational skin disease, can be classified into four groups. Chemical agents can come into contact with the skin through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, deposition of aerosols, immersion or splashes. Physical agents such as extreme temperatures and ultraviolet or solar radiation can be damaging to the skin over prolonged exposure. Mechanical trauma occurs in the form of friction, pressure, abrasions, lacerations and contusions.^([6]) Biological agents such as parasites, microorganisms, plants and animals can have varied effects when exposed to the skin.

Any form of PPE that acts as a barrier between the skin and the agent of exposure can be considered skin protection. Because much work is done with the hands, gloves are an essential item in providing skin protection. Some examples of gloves commonly used as PPE include rubber gloves, cut-resistant gloves, chainsaw gloves and heat-resistant gloves. For sports and other recreational activities, many different gloves are used for protection, generally against mechanical trauma. Other than gloves, PPE may be any other article of clothing or protection worn for a purpose to serve to protect the skin.

Clothing as PPE is all-encompassing and refers to the various suits and uniforms worn to protect the user from harm. Lab coats worn by scientists and ballistic vests worn by law enforcement officials, which are worn on a regular basis, would fall into this category. Entire sets of PPE, ensembles, worn together in a combined suit, are also in this category. Some examples of ensembles of personal protective equipment, worn together for a specific occupation or task, to provide maximum protection for the user are: by way of a specific example chainsaw protection especially a helmet with face guard, hearing protection, kevlar chaps, anti-vibration gloves, and chainsaw safety boots. Bee-keepers wear various levels of protection depending on the temperament of their bees and the reaction of the bees to nectar availability. At minimum most bee keepers wear a brimmed hat and a veil made of fine mesh netting. The next level of protection involves leather gloves with long gauntlets and some way of keeping bees from crawling up one's trouser legs. In extreme cases, specially fabricated shirts and trousers can serve as barriers to the bees' stingers. Diving equipment, for underwater diving, constitutes equipment such as a diving helmet or diving mask, an underwater breathing apparatus, and a diving suit. Firefighters wear PPE designed to provide protection against fires and various fumes and gases. PPE worn by firefighters include bunker gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, a helmet, safety boots, and a PASS device. Participants in sports often wear protective equipment. Studies performed on the injuries of professional athletes, such as that on NFL players, question the effectiveness of existing personal protective equipment.

Almost all PPE is a form of clothing and the nature of the fabric comprising the PPE has a large effect on the suitability and effectiveness of the PPE as well as it comfort. Clothing has its origins in the early mists of human history as protection from the elements and then as protection from injury. Anthropologists believe that animal skins and vegetation were adapted into coverings as protection from cold, heat and rain, especially as humans migrated to new climates.

Because the type of textile comprising the clothing constituting the PPE affects performance of the protective function of the clothing or garment the nature of the textile becomes an important consideration in the function of the clothing, especially when the clothing is purposed to a specific protective function.

Textiles can be felted or fibers spun and made into yarn or thread and subsequently netted, looped, knit or woven to make fabrics. Textiles are formed by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting or tatting, felting, or braiding. A textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibers (yarn or thread). Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibers of wool, flax, cotton, hemp, or other materials to produce long strands.

The related words “fabric” and “cloth” and “material” are often used in textile assembly trades interchangeably (such as tailoring and dressmaking) as synonyms for textile and will be used as such here. A textile is any material made of interlacing fibers, including carpeting and geotextiles. A fabric is a material made through weaving, knitting, spreading, crocheting, or bonding that may be used in production of further goods (garments, etc.). Cloth in contrast to textile may be used synonymously with fabric but is often a piece of fabric that has been processed. Miscellaneous uses include flags, backpacks, tents, nets.

Textiles for industrial purposes, and chosen for characteristics other than their appearance, are commonly referred to as technical textiles. Technical textiles include textile structures for automotive applications, medical textiles (e.g. implants), geotextiles (reinforcement of embankments), agrotextiles (textiles for crop protection), protective clothing (e.g. against heat and radiation for fire fighter clothing, against molten metals for welders, stab protection, and bullet proof vests). In all these applications stringent performance requirements must be met. Woven of threads coated with zinc oxide nanowires, laboratory fabric has been shown capable of “self-powering nanosystems” using vibrations created by everyday actions like wind or body movements.

Textiles are made from many materials, with four main sources: animal (wool, silk), plant (cotton, flax, jute, bamboo), mineral (asbestos, glass fiber), and synthetic (nylon, polyester, acrylic, rayon). The first three groups are natural. In the 20th century, they were supplemented by artificial fibers made from petroleum.

Textiles are made in various strengths and degrees of durability, from the finest microfiber made of strands thinner than one denier to the sturdiest canvas. Textile manufacturing terminology has a wealth of descriptive terms, from light gauze-like gossamer to heavy grosgrain cloth and beyond.

Animal textiles are commonly made from hair, fur, skin or silk (in the silkworms case). Wool refers to the hair of the domestic sheep or goat, which is distinguished from other types of animal hair in that the individual strands are coated with scales and tightly crimped, and the wool as a whole is coated with a wax mixture known as lanolin (sometimes called wool grease), which is waterproof and dirtproof. Woollen refers to a bulkier yarn produced from carded, non-parallel fiber, while worsted refers to a finer yarn spun from longer fibers which have been combed to be parallel. Wool is commonly used for warm clothing. Cashmere, the hair of the Indian cashmere goat, and mohair, the hair of the North African angora goat, are types of wool known for their softness. Other animal textiles which are made from hair or fur are alpaca wool, vicufia wool, llama wool, and camel hair, generally used in the production of coats, jackets, ponchos, blankets, and other warm coverings. Angora refers to the long, thick, soft hair of the angora rabbit. Qiviut is the fine inner wool of the muskox. Wadmal is a coarse cloth made of wool, produced in Scandinavia, mostly 1000˜1500 CE.

Silk is an animal textile made from the fibers of the cocoon of the Chinese silkworm which is spun into a smooth fabric prized for its softness. There are two main types of the silk: ‘mulberry silk’ produced by the Bombyx mori, and ‘wild silk’ such as Tussah silk (wild silk). Silkworm larvae produce the first type if cultivated in habitats with fresh mulberry leaves for consumption, while Tussah silk is produced by silkworms feeding purely on oak leaves. Around four-fifths of the world's silk production consists of cultivated silk. Sea silk is an extremely fine, rare, and valuable fabric that is made from the silky filaments or byssus secreted by a gland in the foot of pen shells.

Grass, rush, hemp, and sisal are all used in making rope. In the first two, the entire plant is used for this purpose, while in the last two, only fibers from the plant are utilized. Coir (coconut fiber) is used in making mine, and also in doormats, doormats, brushes, mattresses, floor tiles, and sacking. Straw and bamboo are both used to make hats. Straw, a dried form of grass, is also used for stuffing, as is kapok. Fibers from pulpwood trees, cotton, rice, hemp, and nettle are used in making paper. Cotton, flax, jute, hemp, modal and even bamboo fiber are all used in clothing. Piña (pineapple fiber) and ramie are also fibers used in clothing, generally with a blend of other fibers such as cotton. Nettles have also been used to make a fiber and fabric very similar to hemp or flax. The use of milkweed stalk fiber has also been reported, but it tends to be somewhat weaker than other fibers like hemp or flax. The inner bark of the lacebark tree is a fine netting that has been used to make clothing and accessories as well as utilitarian articles such as rope.

Acetate is used to increase the shininess of certain fabrics such as silks, velvets, and taffetas. Seaweed is used in the production of textiles: a water-soluble fiber known as alginate is produced and is used as a holding fiber; when the cloth is finished, the alginate is dissolved, leaving an open area. Rayon is a manufactured fabric derived from plant pulp. Different types of rayon can imitate the feel and texture of silk, cotton, wool, or linen. Fibers from the stalks of plants, such as hemp, flax, and nettles, are also known as ‘bast’ fibers.

Textiles or fabrics may be made from mineral fibers. Asbestos and basalt fiber are used for vinyl tiles, sheeting and adhesives, “transite” panels and siding, acoustical ceilings, stage curtains, and fire blankets. Glass fiber is used in the production of ironing board and mattress covers, ropes and cables, reinforcement fiber for composite materials, insect netting, flame-retardant and protective fabric, soundproof, fireproof, and insulating fibers. Glass fibers are woven and coated with Teflon to produce beta cloth, a virtually fireproof fabric which replaced nylon in the outer layer of United States space suits since 1968.

Minerals and natural and synthetic fabrics may be combined, as in emery cloth, a layer of emery abrasive glued to a cloth backing. Also, “sand cloth” is a U.S. term for fine wire mesh with abrasive glued to it, employed like emery cloth or coarse sandpaper.

Metal fiber, metal foil, and metal wire have a variety of uses, including the production of cloth-of-gold and jewelry. Hardware cloth (US term only) is a coarse woven mesh of steel wire, used in construction. It is much like standard window screening, but heavier and with a more open weave.

Synthetic textiles are used primarily in the production of clothing, as well as the manufacture of geotextiles. Polyester fiber is used in all types of clothing, either alone or blended with fibers such as cotton. Aramid fiber (e.g. Twaron®) is used for flame-retardant clothing, cut-protection, and armor. Acrylic is a fiber used to imitate wools, including cashmere, and is often used in replacement of them. Nylon® is a fiber used to imitate silk; it is used in the production of pantyhose. Thicker nylon fibers are used in rope and outdoor clothing.

Spandex (trade name Lycra® is a polyurethane product that can be made tight-fitting without impeding movement. It is used to make active wear, bras, and swimsuits.

Olefin fiber is a fiber used in active wear, linings, and warm clothing. Olefins are hydrophobic, allowing them to dry quickly. A sintered felt of olefin fibers is sold under the trade name Tyvek®. Ingeo is a polylactide fiber blended with other fibers such as cotton and used in clothing. It is more hydrophilic than most other synthetics, allowing it to wick away perspiration. Lurex® is a metallic fiber used in clothing embellishment.

Milk proteins have also been used to create synthetic fabric. Milk or casein fiber cloth was developed during World War I in Germany, and further developed in Italy and America during the 1930s. Milk fiber fabric is not very durable and wrinkles easily, but has a pH similar to human skin and possesses anti-bacterial properties. It is marketed as a biodegradable, renewable synthetic fiber.

Carbon fiber is mostly used in composite materials, together with resin, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The fibers are made from polymer fibers through carbonization.

PPE is generally used to protect workers in hazardous environments and requires high performance textiles either singly or in combination. There are less hazardous functions both in industry and at home where a garment meeting less stringently regulated performance characteristics may provide a benefit

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention provides for a flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more flexible layers of at least two different fabrics, a fabric laminate comprising at least two different fabrics. The invention further provides that said garment is flexible and may be abrasion resistant, cut resistant, penetration resistant and water resistant.

The instant invention further provides for a flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more flexible layers of at least two different fabrics, a fabric laminate comprising at least two different fabrics said garment being flexible and may be, abrasion resistant, cut resistant, penetration resistant and water resistant further comprising a hook and loop means of attaching a tool strap or bracelet suitable for carrying small hand tools on the thigh portion of the garment.

The invention also provides for a tool strap that may be worn on the thigh or upper arm that may optionally comprise a penetration resistant fabric layer said tool strap being optionally attachable to the leg protective garment or the arm protective garment.

An embodiment of the present invention comprises a flexible garment suitable for protecting the extremities of the human body extending from wrist past the elbow to the upper arm or extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises two or more layers of at least two different synthetic fabrics, a fabric laminate comprising at least two different fabrics, that may be either woven or non-woven, wherein said garment includes some or all of the following properties, said garment is flexible, resistant to abrasion, snagging, penetration, dust resistant; cut resistant, puncture resistant, tear resistant and water resistant.

While particularly well suited for both exterior and interior construction work the invention may also be used for less hazardous activities such as gardening, hunting of all kinds, industrial operations, home remodeling, home and commercial construction, tiling and other floor projects as well as landscaping, welding, metal fabrication and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front or obverse view of the complete protective garment. The numbers in the figure refer to specific features or part comprising the invention

FIG. 2 shows a rear or reverse view of the complete protective garment. The numbers in the figure refer to specific features or part comprising the invention

FIG. 3 shows the protective garment as worn on the human leg

FIG. 4 Face fabric (18) utilized on the exterior of the garment

FIG. 5 Back padding (19) utilized on the interior of the garment as the second interior fabric layer of the garment comprising a resilient foamed material

FIG. 6 Illustrates the back padding of FIG. 5 with (9) additional padding for the knee or elbow

FIG. 7 illustrates how the layer of FIG. 4 (18) and FIG. 5 (19) are disposed one on top of the other.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 10 illustrate the strap(s) used to close the garment around the leg or the arm.

FIG. 9. Illustrates a side view of the strap of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 Illustrates a side view of the strap of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 Illustrates an additional strap more or less identical with the strap of FIGS. 8 and 9 and constructed and used in the same fashion except for its positioning on the arm and the leg. This strap will also will be utilized to attach the garment to the leg or elbow of the user.

FIG. 11 Illustrates an elastic band disposed at the lower ankle, an ankle strap on the rear of the garment to secure the bottom portion of the garment to the ankle. This ankle strap is disposed on the rear of at the garment at the ankle as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 16.

FIG. 12 Illustrates the optional addition of a strip of hook Velcro® (15) cut (approximately 1.27×25.4 cm) stitched at the bottom rear of the separate top thigh garment or thigh cuff enabling attachment to the leg garment, the garment that extends from the ankle to just above the knee.

FIG. 13 Illustrates the optional addition of Loop Velcro® (16) (cut approximately 3.81×25.4 cm) that is complementary to the hook Velcro® stitched to top face of the leg garment, the garment that extends from the ankle to just above the knee. to allow attachment attach the upper thigh garment, the thigh cuff.

FIG. 14 Illustrates the exterior of the garment comprising additional PVC padding (19)

FIG. 15. Shows the exterior of the garment with loop Velcro® (16) added to the top of the leg garment see also FIG. 1. FIG. 15 and also shows a strap (4) added approximately 3.81 cm below the top with a triglide buckle (5) on the right and loop Velcro® on the exterior side and loop Velcro on the interior of the strap to enable the strap to provide a closure around the leg.

FIG. 16. Illustrates the reverse or interior portion of the garment demonstrating the position of the padding side (19) additionally comprising an elastic strap to secure the garment to the ankle.

FIG. 17. Illustrates an optional exterior upper thigh (or arm) portion or cuff of the garment constructed of a hydrophilic polymeric fabric or similar abrasion resistant material (18) that is water resistant further comprising an elastic tape stitched to the cuff to provide a means for storing small tools, for example pencil, phone, measuring tape holder (17) made of (5.08×25.4 cm) said means for storing small tools comprising cloth elastic band that has intermediate vertical stitching according to the amount and size of tool holders located (approximately 2.54 cm) up from the bottom of thigh cuff or garment.

FIG. 18. Illustrates the reverse or interior portion of the portion of the of the thigh cuff portion of the garment shown in FIG. 17.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the thigh cuff portion of the garment. When the thigh cuff is equipped with loop and hook Velcro® on the exterior and interior sides as shown in these two figures it may be attached to the longer garment by engaging or mating the Velcro® on the thigh cuff with the Velcro on the longer garment. If the thigh cuff is not equipped with loop and hook Velcro® it may be used separately from the longer garment being worn by utilizing the straps to attach the thigh cuff around the thigh of the wearer.

FIG. 19 Illustrates the elastic fabric disposed on the exterior of the thigh cuff as shown in FIG. 17 and attached, usually by stitching, to the underlying thigh cuff at various intervals as shown to accommodate small tools when worn on the thigh.

FIG. 20 Illustrates the three layers of fabric that are used to make the thigh (or bicep) cuff. The thigh cuff can be used by itself or in combination with the lower leg garment

FIG. 21 Illustrates a schematic cross-section of the three layers comprising the garment.

The specific embodiment illustrated in FIG. 21 is where the outer fabric layers (exterior or obverse and interior or reverse) 18 are constructed of the same type of fabric and fabric layer 20 is an interior layer of fabric, which fabric is different from the outer layer in terms of composition. The individual layers may or may not be chosen to provide different protective or comfort functionalities to the garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definition of Terms

As used herein the term natural as applied to a fabric or textile means textiles made from animal sources such as wool or silk, plant sources such as cotton, flax, jute, or bamboo), or mineral sources such as asbestos, or glass fiber.

As used herein the word synthetic as applied to a fabric or textile means man made, typically by a chemical reaction usually involving the polymerization of monomers into polymers, wherein such polymers are processed into fibers, spun or otherwise processed into a woven or non-woven fabric and when used in conjunction with the word (or words) fiber, cloth or textile means a cloth or textile comprising at least fifty percent by weight (50%) of such man-made polymers thereby constituting a blend.

As used herein the related words “fabric” and “cloth” and “material” are often used in textile assembly trades interchangeably (such as tailoring and dressmaking) as synonyms for textile and will be used as such here, with the primary term used being fabric, also meaning cloth, material, textile and all common synonyms not specifically enumerated.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is a protective garment for the leg it is to be understood that a similar protective garment for the arm can be made with suitable modifications by appropriate variation of the sizes taking into account the variations in structural anatomy between human legs and arms. Accordingly where the word leg is used the word arm may be substituted therefore, where the word ankle is used the word wrist may be substituted therefore, where the word knee is used the word elbow may be substituted therefore and where the word thigh is used the phrase “upper arm” may be substituted therefore or the word bicep may be substituted therefore.

Several of the ASTM tests specified herein are qualitative in nature with broad subjective definitions of performance results. These tests may be standardized by using standardized sizes of fabrics for samples and measuring the properties of each sample before and after the test so that the effect of the test on the sample may be quantitatively ascertained. The word standardized is used in this context so that results of fabric performance critical to the required performance properties of the assembled garment are quantitative and amenable to a quantitative specification.

As used herein water resistance and water repellency are used interchangeably unless the context of the sentence otherwise modifies the term.

As used herein the term hook and loop are used interchangeably with the registered trademark for such a closure, Velcro® and the phrase hook and loop refers generically to such types of closure.

As used herein the word intrusion is used to specifically define the passage of particulate matter through the opening spaces between the warp and weft of fabrics or textiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Synthetic fibers are more durable than most natural fibers and will readily pick-up different dyes. In addition, many synthetic fibers offer consumer-friendly functions such as stretching, waterproofing and stain resistance. Sunlight, moisture, and oils from human skin cause all fibers to break down and wear away. Natural fibers tend to be much more sensitive than synthetic blends. This is mainly because natural products are biodegradable. Compared to natural fibers, many synthetic fibers are more water resistant and stain resistant. Some synthetic fibers are even specially enhanced to provide for specific performance characteristics. Preferred embodiments of the invention utilize synthetic fibers. While natural fibers may be used in the fabric layers of the present invention they are not preferred for these reasons.

Construction of the Garment

The garment of the instant invention comprises at least two layers of synthetic fabrics, each layer consisting of a different synthetic fabric preferably three layers of fabric, two of which are synthetic. The outermost fabric or textile layer of the garment consists of an abrasion resistant synthetic fabric. The first interior layer of the garment consists of a penetration resistant synthetic fabric. A second interior layer of the garment may consist of either a synthetic fabric or a natural fabric such as for example cotton or wool. The synthetic fabrics of the garment may be either woven or non-woven. In a preferred embodiment the second interior layer of the garment may comprise a foamed polymer to provide comfort. The second interior fabric layer may be made using a composite matter comprising either a synthetic or natural fabric that is embedded in the foamed polymer that is flexible.

The following description is exemplary in nature serving only to illustrate the sequence of the assembly of the garment using approximate sizes of the different pieces of fabric.

FIG. 4 Illustrates how he outermost layer of fabric or face fabric (18) is utilized on the exterior of the garment. This face fabric or exterior layer of fabric will be on the outside of the garment and consists for example of 1000 denier Cordura® nylon or similar abrasion resistant fabric. The fabric may be of any color but certain choices of colors correspond to one of the intended uses of the garment. For example orange is generally used in hunting garments, while yellow is generally used when visibility is an issue, e.g. in safety equipment or night visibility is an issue. In order to give adequate coverage to the front and sides of the wearer's leg this component of the exterior or face fabric, i.e 3. the outer layer may be cut to size, generally having the dimension of approximately (60.96×25.4 cm).

FIG. 5 Back padding (19) utilized on the interior of the garment as the second interior fabric layer of the garment comprising a resilient foamed material. Such resilient foamed material may comprise sheets of foamed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that may vary in thickness from 1 to 10 mm in thickness, preferably 5 mm. The sheet foamed PVC or other suitable foamed polymeric material should be cut to size with radials cuts (3.81 cm) on the sides of the material e.g. as shown in FIG. 5

FIG. 6 Illustrates positioning of the back padding or cushioning of FIG. 5 with (9) additional padding for the knee or elbow against the second or interior layer of fabric. In one embodiment it is area made of 5 mm thick PVC foam cut (8.89×17.78 cm) and placed (7.62 cm) down from the top of the padding (19) and centered left to right leaving approximately (1.016 cm) of (19) exposed on both sides, this padding may be fastened by a running stitch or bonded using fabric adhesives, chemical or melt welding.

FIG. 7 Illustrates the disposition of the layers in FIG. 4 (18) and FIG. 5 (19) one on top of the other and how they are assembled. The layers may be stitched with a running stitch around the perimeter as well as around the opening (10) or bonded using fabric adhesives, chemical or melt welding around the perimeter. Further the stitching joining the layers may be protected by bias tape either prior to or subsequent to stitching the layers together. This will close the openings between the two layers of fabric. When assembly is accomplished by stitching, it is preferable that all stitches be made with a high tensile strength thread that is weather resistant thread.

The different fabric layers of the instant invention provide different performance features to the constructed garment. As such the individual fabrics selected for each of the fabric layers should meet certain criteria. The exterior layer of the fabric laminate component of the garment of the invention should be a synthetic fabric manufactured from various monomeric materials and being polymers and copolymers thereof such as the group consisting of Nylon, Poly amides. Modacrylic, Olefin, Polyolen Acrylic, Polyester, Rayon Vinyon, Saran, Spandex, Vinalon, Aramids, Nomex, Kevlar, Twaron, Modal, Dyneema/Spectra, PBI (Polybenzimidazole fiber) Sulfar, Lyocell PLA M-5, Orlon, Zylon (PBO fiber), Vectran (TLCP fiber) made from Vectra LCP polymer, and mixtures thereof. Especially preferred are the various exemplars of Nylon. Kevlar is particularly preferred for the interior fabric layer of the garment of the instant invention.

Abrasion Resistance

For example the outer fabric layer should exhibit abrasion resistance. There are basically two classes of abrasion resistance, cycles to wear through and the more qualitative test of abrasion testing for a specified time followed by visual inspection which rates the amount of abrasion resistance as mild moderate or severe. This qualitative test may be rendered quantitative by specifying fabric rectangles of standard dimensions, weighing the specimen before and after the abrasion test and calculating the percentage weight loss resulting from the test. As a result of performing ASTM test ASTM D3884 (Tabor abrasion) on the fabric chosen for the outer layer of the garment the weight loss should be no more than 40% by weight, preferably no more than 30% by weight, more preferably no more than 20% and most preferably no more than 10% by weight.

Cut Resistance

The outer fabric layer should additionally possess a certain minimum cut resistance, as defined by ASTM test F2992-15 which uses a straight blade to measure cut resistance on a 20 millimeter distance. This test ranges from cut levels A1 to A9 and is represented in grams. The loads are calibrated in grams and start at 200 gm. The ANSI cut levels correspond to 200 (A1), 500 (A2), 1,000 (A3), 1,500 (A4); 2,200 (A5); 3,000 (A6), 4,000 (A7); 5,000 (A8); and 6,000 (A9) categorized as A1 through A9 respectively. ASTM F2992-15 assesses the cut resistance of a material when exposed to a cutting edge under specified loads. Data obtained from this test method can be used to compare the cut resistance of different materials and ranges from light cut risks to high cut risks. This test method only addresses that range of cutting hazards that are related to a cutting action by a smooth sharp edge across the surface of the material. It is not representative of any other cutting hazard to which the material may be subjected such as serrated edges, saw blades, or motorized cutting tools. Nor is it representative of puncture, tear, or other modes of fabric failure. This test method covers the measurement of the cut resistance of a material when mounted on a mandrel and subjected to a cutting edge under a specified load using the Tomodynamometer (TDM-100).

The outer fabric layer should meet a cut resistance between A2 and A3, preferably a cut resistance between A4 and A5, more preferably a cut resistance between A6 and A7 and most preferably a cut resistance between A8 and A9. The ranges of these cut resistance specifications include their respective endpoints.

Snag Resistance

ASTM test D-3939 measures snag resistance of a fabric by placing a fabric specimen of a tubular cylindrical drum. A mace or spiked spherical ball is allowed to bounce randomly against the fabric specimen as the drum is rotating. As the mace bounces over the fabric snags may or may not occur. The test may be standardized by conducting the test for a specified period of time since the rotating drum on which the fabric is placed standardizes the fabric specimen size. The degree of snagging is measured on a scale of 1 to 5 by comparison of the tested fabrics to photographs of fabrics or fabrics that have been tested and ranked. The ranking of 1 to 5 is 1 (no sagging), 2 (mild snagging), 3 (moderate snagging), 4 (severe snagging) and 5 very severe snagging. The amount of snagging of the outer fabric layer of the garment, or the garment itself, is preferably not greater than 3 (moderate snagging), more preferably not greater than 2 (mild snagging), and most preferably not greater than 1 (no snagging).

Dust Resistance

Conventionally woven fabrics because of their weave and the denier or thickness of thread with which they are woven can act as sieves, when the warp and weft are orthogonal to one another, and thus provide a barrier to penetration by fine particulate matter. Standard US sieves measure particle sizes and the maximum size particle that can theoretically pass the sieve is governed by the opening. A number 18 sieve has a square opening (because of the orthogonal nature of the warp and weft of the metal strands that form the mesh) of 1.000 mm. In the United States dust is typically regarded as particulate matter that is 0.016 inches in diameter or less, i.e. 0.381 mm. This particle size of 0.31 mm is between a number 40 sieve having a screen opening size of 0.420 mm and a number 45 sieve having aa screen opening size of 0.354 mm. Although dust is typically regarded as having an assumed spherical size 0.381 mm or less for purposes of defining dust resistance the garment the garment of the instant invention will prevent the intrusion of 50% by weight of particulate matter passing through a number 18 screen, screen opening 1.000 mm, preferably preventing the intrusion of 50% by weight of particulate matter passing through a number 25 screen, screen opening 0.707 mm, more preferably preventing the intrusion of 50% by weight of particulate matter passing through a number 35 screen, screen opening 0.500 mm and most preferably preventing the intrusion of 50% by weight of particulate matter passing through a number 40 screen, screen opening 0.420 mm. Finer screens sizes may be employed to increase the specification of the dust resistance of the garment, e.g a number 45 screen, screen opening 0.354 mm; a number 50 screen, screen opening 0.297 mm; a number 60 screen, screen opening 0.250 mm; a number 70 screen, screen opening 0.210 mm; a number 80 screen, screen opening 0.177 mm; a number 100 screen, screen opening 149 mm; a number 120 screen, screen opening 0.125 mm; a number 140 screen, screen opening 0.105 mm; a number 170 screen, screen opening 0.088 mm; a number 200 screen, screen opening 0.074 mm; a number 230 screen, screen opening 0.063 mm; a number 270 screen, screen opening 0.053 mm; 0.053; a number 325 screen, screen opening 0.044 mm; and a number 400 screen, screen opening 0.037 mm.

Water Resistance (Water Repellency)

The fabric composing the outermost fabric layer of the laminate should be hydrophobic so that the garment is water resistant. Hydrophobic fabrics are most generally manufactured from synthetic polymers as opposed to naturally occurring polymers such as cotton or wool. The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) have developed standards regarding the testing and evaluation of water repellency, water resistance and water absorption of fabrics. The repellency of a textile fabric depends upon the resistance to wetting and penetration by a liquid. Water and oil are the most important liquids for normal textile fabric end-uses. The main parameters that determine the resistance of a fabric to wetting are:

-   -   1. The geometry and roughness of the fiber surfaces (for         example, longitudinal striations, fissures, crenulations and so         on, and modified cross-sections that promote wicking);     -   2. The nature of the capillary spacings in the fabric (for         example, inter-fiber and inter-yarn capillary spaces) and     -   3. The chemical nature of the fiber surfaces (for example,         presence of polar or non-polar groups):

It should be noted that capillary spacings in a textile fabric are dependent on the denier (or diameter) of the thread used to weave the fabric and the presence of polar groups on the fiber surface tends to render the fabric hydrophilic whereas non-polar groups tends to render the fabric hydrophobic, which in the case of synthetic textiles is a function of the chemical structure of the monomers utilized to make the polymer precursor to the thread.

There are three main types of test methods available for assessing the water repellency of a textile specimen, which should be suitably preconditioned prior to testing under standardized conditions:

-   -   1. Class I spray tests for assessing rain impact     -   2. Class II hydrostatic pressure tests, which measure water         penetration     -   3. Class III sorption of water due to immersion of specimen in         water

The most widely used test methods are briefly discussed here.

Class I: Spray Tests to Simulate Exposure to Rain:

In the AATCC Test Method 22, Water-Repellency: Spray Test, water is showered on the fabric specimen, which has been preconditioned for 4 h prior to testing, producing a wetted pattern. A rating will be given by comparison of the wetted pattern to standard chart pictures. This is a rapid, simple method, which is technically equivalent to ISO 4920 and BS EN 24920.

The AATCC Test Method 35, Water Resistance:

Rain Test assesses fabric performance when it is sprayed with rain water as well as the pressure due to the rain's impact. This test is applicable to all type of fabrics whether treated with a water repellent chemical or not. The test specimen is conditioned at a relative humidity of 65%±2% and a temperature of 21° C.±1° C. for at least 4 h. The specimen is placed on a weighed blotter and water is showered on it when it is placed in the rain tester for 5 min. In this test method, rain impact can be varied by changing the height of the water from 60 to 240 cm. At the end, the blotter will be weighed again to assess the quantity of water that has leaked through the fabric. The fabric performance is assessed by various parameters by determining the maximum pressure where no penetration is observed, the effect of a change in pressure on fabric penetration, and the least pressure required for penetration of 5 g of water onto the tested specimen.

The AATCC Test Method 42, Water Resistance:

Impact Penetration Test is also useful. The fabric resistance to impact by water is measured and used to predict the penetration of rain into the fabric. In this test, 500 mL of water is showered onto the sample at a height of 2 ft. The rest of the procedure is the same as that for Test Method 35.

Other standard test methods are ISO 9865, Textiles, Assessing the Repellency of Water by Bundesmann Shower Test and BS EN 29865; both determine the repellency of fabrics that are permeable to air. Water is filtered and de-ionized, which is then passed through jets of specific dimensions and sprayed onto the fabric surface. Four test specimens will be kept at a specific angle to the cups and are simultaneously exposed to a heavy rain shower of controlled intensity while the under-surface of each specimen is subjected to a rubbing action. Water that is passed through the fabric will be collected in the cup and later its volume will be measured. In addition, the amount of water that is retained by the test specimen will be measured by comparison of the weight of the fabric before and after the testing. Note that all rain simulation tests should, in theory, replicate rain conditions that occur in practice.

Class H: Hydrostatic Pressure Tests:

For many high-performance fabrics that are rendered waterproof, a hydrostatic pressure test may be conducted in one of two ways:

-   -   1. By applying a gradual hydrostatic pressure on the fabric and         assessing the minimum pressure necessary for penetration     -   2. By subjecting the fabric to a constant hydrostatic pressure         for a lengthy time duration and assessing any penetration.     -   3.

Both the International Standard and the British Standard tests subject the specimen to gradual hydrostatic pressure and measure the pressure necessary for penetration. Two test methods are ISO 811; 1981, Water Textile Fabrics, Determination of Resistance to Penetration, Hydrostatic Pressure Test and BS EN 20811: 1992. Resistance of Fabric to Penetration by Water-Hydrostatic Head Test. In the AATCC Test Method 127, Water Resistance: Hydrostatic Pressure Test (related to ISO 811) the pressure of the water applied to the recessed base where the specimen is placed will be gradually increased as per the standard rate; the fabric surface will then be observed for any signs of penetration by water. The end point will come when penetration occurs for the third time (that is, three points of leakage) and is determined by the penetration pressure, which is measured in centimeters in a water gauge.

Class III: Sorption of Water by the Fabric Immersed in Water: The AATCC Test Method 70, Water-Repellency:

Tumble Jar Dynamic Absorption Test assesses the absorption of water into the specimen under conditions similar to actual use.

Preconditioned and pre-weighed samples are kept in water for a specific time; extra water is eliminated by the wringer method and the sample is weighed again. The percentage weight increase of the specimen will reflect the sample's absorption.

The AATCC Test Method 118, Oil-Repellency:

Hydrocarbon Resistance Test (technically equivalent to ISO 14419) can be used to assess the sample capacity for repellency of oil under specific conditions. Drops of the standard test liquids are assessed on the test fabric. The rating reflects the highest numbered test oil that is not able to wet the fabric.

The visual evaluation of the liquid drop on the fabric surface is graded as;

A=Pass: clear well-rounded drop;

B=Borderline pass: rounding drop with partial darkening;

C=Fail: wicking apparent and/or complete wetting; and

D=Fail: complete wetting.

The 3M test uses mixtures of Nujol Oil and n-heptane in various proportions numbered from 50 (100% Nujol) to 150 (100% n-heptane). It should be noted that the oil-repellency test is conducted under static conditions and depends completely upon the contact angle of the oil on the fibers.

One of the most commonly used water resistance tests for fabric is to place a 1″ by 1″ square tube over the fabric specimen and measure the column height in millimeters (mm) before water leaks through the fabric. Water resistance measurements by this test fall into the following categories:

Waterproof Water resistance rating (mm) provided Conditions    0-5,000 mm No resistance to some Light rain, dry snow, resistance to moisture no pressure beyond ambient atmospheric pressure  6,000-10,000 mm Rainproof to water proof Light rain, average under light pressure snow, light pressure 11,000-15,000 mm Rainproof and waterproof Moderate rain, average except under high pressure snow, light pressure 16,000-20,000 mm Rainproof and water proof Heavy rain, wet snow, under high pressure some pressure 20,000 mm and Rainproof and waterproof Heavy rain, wet snow, above under very high pressure high pressure

The garment of the present invention should have a water resistance rating of at least 10 to 5,000 mm, preferably 5,001 to 10,000 mm, more preferably 10,001 to 15,000 mm and most preferably 15,001 to 20,000 mm.

Hydrophilic fabrics may be utilized particularly if coated with a water repellent coating such as Teflon®, silicone polyurethane and the like if the underlying fabric provides a particular advantage such as tear resistance

Penetration Resistance

The second layer of the garment should exhibit penetration resistance so that when worn the garment. A preferred fabric choice to impart penetration resistance is Kevlar®. Kevlar® and Nomex® are registered trademarks of E. I. DuPont deNemours and Co. Corp (DuPont) and Technora® is a registered trademark of Teijin Techno Products Ltd. Corp. of Japan. Kevlar® is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic aramid fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex® and Technora®.

Kevlar® is synthesized in solution from the monomers 1,4-phenylene-diamine (para-phenylenediamine) and terephthaloyl chloride in a condensation reaction yielding hydrochloric acid as a byproduct. The resulting polymer is poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, which is a co-polymer. The co-polymer has liquid-crystalline behavior, and mechanical drawing orients the polymer chains in the fiber's direction. This is possible because the highly sterically hindered nature of the co-monomer starting results in co-polymers that possess close to a 100% trans configuration at the interior condensation points of the component monomers. This produces an extremely linear polymer and this highly linear nature of the polymer imparts a great deal of strength to the polymer and the fibers produced from it.

One of the drawbacks associated with the use of Kevlar® is that the amide linkage of the polymer is susceptible of forming hydrogen bonds to water molecules and in the presence of water such bonds form separating the polymer strands and weakening the structure. This problem can be avoided by coating textiles manufactured from Kevlar® with a waterproof coating and underscores the importance of having the outer layer of the fabric laminate water resistant. Such waterproof coatings for Kevlar® may comprise, polyurethanes, silicones, hydrophobic polyesters, copolymers thereof and others known in the art and commercially sold to render Kevlar® water resistant.

As is typical of synthetic polymers, the poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide polymer fabric component of the instant invention may use strengthening fillers such as carbon fibers, glass fibers (silicon dioxide), metallic fibers, and fibers made from refractory oxides such as aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide at weight percent loadings consistent with rendering the resulting fabric flexible.

An interior layer of the fabric laminate comprising the garment should be penetration resistant. Penetration resistance for the instant invention is not measured by ballistic penetration resistance such as the standard used for safety ratings of so-called bullet-proof vests but is measured by a similar standard, stab resistance. Stab resistance specifications for PPE to be used by law enforcement are documented in NIJ-Standard-0115.00. The stab resistant test protocol outlined in the document utilizing a stab penetration test module but with 50% of the energy of the E I level of 24 Joules, i.e. 12 Joules. Penetration of all three layers of the garment should not exceed 7 mm beyond the cushioning layer of the garment, preferably not exceeding 4 mm beyond the cushioning layer of the garment, more preferably not exceeding 2 mm beyond the cushioning layer of the garment, and most preferably not exceeding 1 mm beyond the cushioning layer of the garment. These levels of penetration are performance levels specifying the extent of penetration of the garment under the conditions of the test and in no way guarantee that the garment will protect against bodily injury. In manufactured specimens tested for meeting these stab or penetration resistance criteria, additional layers of penetration resistant fabric may be added to the garment to achieve test compliance.

Thus the outer fabric layer should possess abrasion resistance, cut resistance, snag resistance, dust resistance, water resistance and penetration resistance. These criteria provide the garment with abrasion resistance, cut resistance, snag resistance, dust resistance, water resistance and penetration resistance.

Cushioning Layer

The third layer of the garment is a flexible material that provides cushioning between the fabric layers and the leg, or in the case of a garment sized to be worn on the arm, cushioning between the fabric layers and the arm. Generally the cushioning material will be a foamed polymeric material that may either be natural or synthetic, e.g. natural rubber or latex in contrast to PVC or polyurethane foam. A preferred choice for the cushioning material is PVC (polyvinyl chloride) foam, however the foamed material may be selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, PVC foam, polyurethane foam, silicone foam, other foamed synthetic polymers and the like. However, while foamed materials are preferred for the cushioned layer, the cushioned layer may comprise felted natural or synthetic fabrics.

The appended claims are intended to claim the invention as broadly as it has been conceived and the examples herein presented are illustrative of selected embodiments from a manifold of all possible embodiments. Accordingly it is Applicant's intention that the appended claims are not to be limited by the choice of embodiments utilized to illustrate features of the present invention. As used in the claims, the word “comprises” and its grammatical variants logically also subtend and include phrases of varying and differing extent such as for example, but not limited thereto, “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.” Where necessary, ranges have been supplied, those ranges are inclusive of all sub-ranges there between. Such ranges may be viewed as a Markush group or groups consisting of differing pairwise numerical limitations which group or groups is or are fully defined by its lower and upper bounds, increasing and/or decreasing at single integers increments from lower endpoints to upper endpoints. It is to be expected that variations in these ranges will suggest themselves to a practitioner having ordinary skill in the art and where not already dedicated to the public, those variations should where possible be construed to be covered by the appended claims. It is also anticipated that advances in science and technology will make equivalents and substitutions possible that are not now contemplated by reason of the imprecision of language and these variations should also be construed where possible to be covered by the appended claims. All United States patents (and patent applications) referenced herein are herewith and hereby specifically incorporated by reference in their entirety as though set forth in full. 

Having described the invention that which is claimed is:
 1. A flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more flexible layers of at least two different fabrics and a cushioning layer comprising a synthetic polymeric foam.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is water resistant.
 3. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is snag resistant.
 4. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is penetration resistant.
 5. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is cut resistant.
 6. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment is dust resistant.
 7. The garment of claim 6 wherein an interior fabric layer comprises a fabric comprising a poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide polymer.
 8. The garment of claim 7 wherein the fabric comprising a poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide polymer has been coated with a waterproof coating.
 9. The garment of claim 1 wherein said garment water resistant, snag resistant, penetration resistant, cut resistant, and dust resistant.
 10. A tool strap for the thigh comprising a base garment comprising: 1) three flexible layers, two layers of which are fabric; and 2) a tape attached to the base garment at various intervals creating one or more loops suitable for inserting small tools.
 11. The tool strap of claim 10 additionally comprising a at least one hook and loop strap for attaching the tool strap to another garment having a hook and loop means for attaching the tool strap to said other garment.
 12. A flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more flexible layers of at least two different fabrics, further comprising a hook and loop means of attaching a second garment comprising a hook and loop means of attachment.
 13. The garment of claim 12 additionally comprising a tool strap for the thigh comprising a base garment comprising: 1) three flexible layers, two layers of which are fabric; and 2 a tape attached to the base garment at various intervals creating one or more loops suitable for inserting small tools.
 14. A flexible garment suitable for protecting the human leg extending from the ankle past the knee wherein said garment comprises three or more flexible layers of at least two different fabrics and a cushioning layer comprising a synthetic polymeric foam further comprising a tool strap for the thigh comprising a base garment comprising: 2) three flexible layers, two layers of which are fabric; and 3 a tape attached to the base garment at various intervals creating one or more loops suitable for inserting small tools.
 15. The garment of claim 14 wherein a portion of the garment is water resistant wherein the outer fabric layer has been coated with a waterproof coating.
 16. The garment of claim 14 wherein a portion of the garment is snag resistant wherein the outer fabric layer has been coated with a waterproof coating.
 17. The garment of claim 14 wherein a portion of the garment is penetration resistant wherein the outer fabric layer has been coated with a waterproof coating.
 18. The garment of claim 17 wherein an interior fabric layer comprises a fabric comprising a poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide polymer.
 19. The garment of claim 18 wherein the interior fabric comprising a poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide polymer has been coated with a waterproof coating.
 20. The tool strap of claim 11 additionally comprising an additional fabric layer wherein said additional fabric layer is penetration resistant. 